It came down to a battle of youth versus experience in the men's 'A' final at this year's International curling bonspiel.

Thanks to a couple crucial multipoint ends, veteran curling squad Team Zealand went on to beat a mixed Yukon/Nova Scotia junior rink 7-4.

The juniors conceded after opponent skip Gord Zealand drew for two points in the seventh end.

"This is the first time I have actually been fortunate (to win the 'A' final), thanks to the young guys there. They were kind to us old guys," said Zealand laughing. "I am sure down the road they won't be so kind."

The juniors, skipped by Thomas Scoffin, enjoyed a 2-1 lead after three ends of play, however in the fourth Zealand capitalized with the hammer.

With three Zealand stones counting, Scoffin was hoping to hit and stick with his last shot. Unfortunately for the juniors though, he couldn't keep his own rock in the house, giving Zealand an open draw for three. Zealand made the shot and took the lead for the first time in the game.

Once again the two teams exchanged points in the fifth and sixth end, before Zealand drew in for two points in the seventh. The juniors conceded with one end remaining in the game.

"That gives you quite a jump," Zealand said when asked about the significance of the three-points his team posted in the fourth. "It was extremely close, one shot here or there to give the other side control."

This was the first time Zealand, who is president of the Yukon Curling Association, won the 'A' final, adding he has finished runner up on more than one occasion.

"It feels good to curl well and it was a good group of guys to curl with that was the big side of it," he said. "A lot of fun."

Zealand's team was made up of three Yukoners and one Alaskan. He said they had a secret weapon on their squad, being Fred Walatka from Anchorage.

"A 77-year-old weapon," said Zealand chuckling. "If any of us could be curling and throwing like that at 77 we would be a star."

Other members on Team Zealand were Wayne McLennan and Jeff Wiggins.

The ladies 'A' final also featured a thrilling match between Yukon curling rivals Leslie Grant and Jaime Hewitt, who earlier in the season battled, along with two Northwest Territories teams, to play in the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

In Sunday's International final, Hewitt took a late lead after she scored three points in the seventh end. This, however, gave Grant the hammer and an excellent opportunity heading into the final end.

Grant didn't disappoint and was lying four stones when Hewitt made her last shot. Incredibly though, Hewitt managed a near-perfect hit and roll, which she banked off one of her own stones and ended up on the button to limit Grant to just one point.

Unfortunately for Team Hewitt, the rock ended up not counting as a result of one of her sweepers making contact with it.

As a result, Grant opted not to throw her last stone, winning the game by a 8-5 score.

"Pretty nerve wracking," Grant said when asked about coming into the final end, adding she was going for the win, but also had the tie in the back of her mind.

Grant said her only strategy in the final end was just trying to place her team's stones behind Hewitt's guards.

"I just tried to put my stones behind and it worked," she said. "Jaime is a great curler and a beautiful person. We don't have any grudges."

Other members on Team Grant included Corinne Delaire, Janet Klippert and Carolyn MacKenzie.

There was a total of 52 teams at the 2009 International, held Thursday through Sunday. Curling players came from all over including Watson Lake, Fairbanks, Juneau, Atlin, Teslin, Pelly Crossing, Carcross, Haines Junction and Nova Scotia.

The 12 Nova Scotia curlers were all placed on teams with at least one Yukoner. The group was a part a Canada exchange program and in the summer or fall, a group of Yukoners will travel to Guysborough, Nova Scotia in return.

All of the Nova Scotia players won a prize, including 15-year-old Jessica MacDonald. MacDonald played on a team that finished third in the A division.

"It was good," she said. "We won three out of four of our games."

The Maritimers will be in the Yukon until Wednesday and will help teach a curling clinic in Teslin today.

MacDonald, who joked about the name of her team being Yucotia, said she has enjoyed her time in the Yukon so far and looks forward to reciprocating when the Whitehorse group travels to Guysborough.

"It will be fun when they get to come to Nova Scotia," she said. "We'll get to show them around."

Ryan Avery, 15, was also one of the Nova Scotia curlers. He said he also has enjoyed himself in his first trip to the Yukon.

"The people here are really nice," he said.

Seventeen year olds Chelsea Duncan and Nick Koltun are two of the Yukoners signed up to do the exchange. Both junior curlers are excited about traveling to Nova Scotia.

"It's still pretty cool to get to go to Nova Scotia," said Koltun.

Duncan said she is most looking forward to meeting new people and seeing some of the differences than what she is used to in the Yukon.

Jeanne Kucherean, the chair of this year's International, said the bonspiel helps finish the season at the curling club, adding she was pleased with how it went.

"It is a celebration," she said. "It's also a chance for novice curlers to come out and see what bonspieling really is about. The intent is that anybody of any age and any ability is able to come out and join in."

The remaining division winners included Robert Smallwood rink in the men's B and Helen Strong on the women's side.

Wade Scoffin's team took the top honour in the men's C event, while Colleen Hemsley and her curling squad came in first in the ladies C.

Brian Wasnea's rink finished in first place in the men's D and the ladies D was won by Linea Eby's squad.